Abstract

Flavors profiling in flavored hookah tobacco is an issue of increasing scrutiny for the health sector owing to its adverse effects on humans, especially being heated to produce smoke. This study aims at tackling the components involved in the flavored hookah tobacco from a chemical and biological point of view. Detecting individual flavor compounds, within a complex hookah tobacco matrix was accomplished using headspace solid phase microextraction (SPME). A total of 114 volatiles were identified in 13 flavored hookah tobacco products, with esters amounting for the major component up to 40%. Whereas oxygenated monoterpenes presented another major volatile class, contributing up to 23%, including (E)-anethole. Superheating flavored hookah tobacco at 190 °C resulted in the release of a mixture of phenol derivatives and polycyclic aromatic compounds that are indicative of coal tar, a major component produced during hookah tobacco usage with potential health hazards. This study provides the first comprehensive volatile profile of hookah tobacco products from different origins identifying chemical components involved in flavors. It is expected to serve as informative grounds for the better understanding of hookah tobacco production and usage. The information presented is also expected to raise awareness on the health risks of hookah tobacco smoking.

OPLS-DA score plot derived from modelling cigarette aroma versus hookah flavours (A) and cigarette aroma versus unflavoured “Kas” brand (C) each modelled one at a time. The respective S-plot (B,D) shows the covariance p[1] against the correlation p(cor)[1] of the variables of the discriminating component of the OPLS-DA model. Cut-off values of P < 0.05 were used; selected variables are highlighted in the S-plot with kovats index value and identifications are discussed in text.